Gun



7, 1956 A. B. HARRIS 7 2,757,658

GUN

Filed Dec. 5, 1952 E51 i l-1' INVENTOR United States Patent GUN Artie B. Harris, Kansas City, Mo.

Application December 5, 1952, Serial No. 324,350

3 Claims. (Cl. 12417) My invention relates to improvements in a missile launching device known as a slingshot. Its structure consists, in common practice, of a loop of elastic of uniform cross section whose ends are attached to the upper arms of a rigid Y-shaped handle. It is operated by placing a missile on the center of the elastic loop opposite the operator, then stretching the elastic with the missile held in place and releasing it suddenly. Power stored in the elastic propels the missile forward.

A principal object of my invention is to provide an improved missile launching device that accelerates the missile in an increasing progression of speed and striking force not provided by the above described older type slingshot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure that more accurately directs the missile toward its target. Further objects of the invention are to provide a missile launching device that is easy to operate, that is loaded by gravity, that is light and compact and simple and inexpensive to produce.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a missile launching device having an elastic dia phragm in the form of a hollow cone, the gauge of its wall thickness and its length being such that it can be stretched to its elastic limits by the operators hands. This missile launching structure includes a short rigid tube whose perimeter approximately equals that of the large end of the elastic cone and to which it is firmly attached. Other objects and advantages will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a missile launching device constructed in accordance with my invention, in which the elastic cone is shown in full lines in relaxed condition, with dotted lines indicating its partially stretched condition.

Fig. 2 illustrates a diaphragm in the form of a hollow elastic cone. The length, diameter and wall thickness of the cone are such that it can be stretched to its elastic limit by the operators hands. Its function is to store energy while stretched for propulsion of the missile when it is released.

Fig. 3 represents a short rigid tube whose perimeter approximately equals that of the large end of the hollow elastic cone. Its function is to provide a solid frame for attachment of the elastic cone, and to serve as a handle for the device.

Fig. 3a is an end elevation of the tubular member shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 illustrates a strip of adhesive tape for attaching the hollow elastic cone to the tube.

After considering the foregoing description in connection with the drawings, persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain such a clear understanding that further description is unnecessary.

The slingshot is operated as follows: With the open end of the tube upright a missile is dropped into it. Gravity centers the missile in the small end of the hollow elastic cone, where it is grasped by the operator through the walls of the cone. Holding the missile with one hand and the tube in the other, with the open end of the tube toward the target, the cone is stretched with the missile in place. When it is released the missile is projected toward the target by the force stored in the hollow elastic cone.

Novelty is predicated on the part shown in Fig. 2 comprising an elastic diaphragm in the form of a hollow cone. Additional novelty is predicated on the arrangement of parts shown in Fig. l to render more efiicient the handling of the device.

Minor changes in shape, size and re-arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to without departure from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A gun comprising a projectile-receiving and projectile-ejecting tubular structure and, coupled to the rear end of said tubular structure, a diaphragm structure which, when in unstrained condition, except that incident to the coupling, is in substantially symmetrical relation to said tubular structure with respect to the longitudinally extending center-line of said tubular structure, in all longitudinally extending radial planes coinciding with said center-line, said diaphragm structure having a bag-shaped portion manually, symmetrically and resiliently stretchable by pull of its rear end directly backward from said tubular structure, said bag-shaped portion having a foreand-aft diametrical dimension at least substantially as great as one-half of its maximum transverse diametrical dimension, the transverse diametrical dimension of the interior space at the position of the coupling being at least substantially as great as the maximum transverse diametrical dimension of said bag-shaped portion, and said bag-shaped portion, throughout at least the forward onefourth of its length having a minimum transverse diametri-,

cal dimension at least substantially as great as one-fourth of its maximum transverse diametrical dimension, the rear end portion of a stretchable part of said diaphragm structure being fully and directly exposed to the circumambient atmosphere and unobstructed.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame and handle member comprising a short rigid tube, an elastic hollow cone capable of being stretched manually to its elastic limit, said cone having its open end matching in size and firmly attached throughout its perimeter to one of the ends of the rigid tube, whereby the said tube forms a handle member in the form of a rigid cylindrical extension of the base of the cone.

3. In a missile launching device, a frame and handle member comprising a short rigid tube, an elastic hollow cone capable of being stretched manually to its elastic limit, said cone having its open end approximately equal in size to the adjacent end of the rigid tube, the open end of the cone extending over one end of the tube and being firmly but detachably attached thereto around its perimeter, whereby the tube forms a handle member in the form of a rigid cylindrical extension of the base of the cone.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 534,996 Cundy Mar 5, 1895 2,078,439 Blackledge I Apr. 27, 1937 

